Governor Glenn Youngkin attended a ribbon-cutting ceremony in Tysons to mark the opening of the 495 Express Lanes Northern Extension, also known as 495 NEXT. The extension will open ahead of schedule on Sunday, November 23, just before the Thanksgiving travel period.
“Yesterday, we celebrated more travel options and more travel reliability on one of our nation’s busiest corridors,” said Governor Glenn Youngkin. “This expansion is a testament to the success of public-private partnerships that boost quality of life and support a growing economy. Once again, Virginia is leading the way by delivering much-needed transportation improvements today—not years or decades from now—that improve mobility for Virginians and all travelers in the National Capital Region.”
The event was attended by representatives from Transurban, Lane Construction, Federal Highway Administration Associate Administrator Tony Frye, Virginia Secretary of Transportation W. Sheppard Miller III, Virginia Department of Transportation Commissioner Stephen C. Brich, and other officials.
“On behalf of the Trump Administration, Secretary Sean Duffy and the U.S. Department of Transportation, we’re proud to join our partners in Virginia to celebrate the opening of new 495 Express Lanes,” said FHWA Associate Administrator for Highway Policy and External Affairs Tony Frye. “The Trump Administration is getting America building again with projects like this one that enhances safety while connecting our country and our people.”
Virginia Secretary of Transportation W. Sheppard Miller III commented: “495 NEXT will provide new options to travelers in this highly congested and busy area. The opening of this important project—which includes improved access to vital business and residential corridors in Northern Virginia—expands the benefits of the Express Lanes network to more people in the region while bringing new infrastructure and multimodal improvements to the local community.”
The extension adds two dynamically tolled express lanes in each direction on I-495 between the Dulles Corridor interchange and George Washington Memorial Parkway interchange near the American Legion Bridge into Maryland. This two-and-a-half-mile addition connects with existing express lanes networks on I-66, I-95, and I-395.
According to project details, both express lane users and those using general-purpose lanes can expect reduced travel times by up to half. High occupancy vehicles (HOV 3+) and bus riders can use these lanes without paying tolls. Roadway safety improvements are expected through crash reduction measures and less cut-through traffic in neighborhoods.
VDOT Commissioner Stephen C. Brich said: “I want to thank and acknowledge the continued innovative public-private partnership and collaboration that made the 495 Express Lanes extension possible. Together, we’ve successfully delivered yet another critical Express Lanes facility, all of which continue to be game changers for improving travel and moving more people through our busy corridors in Northern Virginia. This newest enhancement benefits the entire region, while also providing features that specifically serve the local community including new bridges, noise walls and a paved trail for bicyclists and pedestrians that will open in 2026.”
Beau Memory, President of Transurban North America added: “What we have accomplished through the power of partnership in Virginia is demonstrated with this latest extension of Transurban’s Express Lanes. Now spanning 58 miles from McLean to Fredericksburg to the Pentagon, the 95, 395, and 495 Express Lanes represent the longest managed lanes corridor in the United States. I am so proud of the teams that collaborated to bring such a complex and innovative project to bear, and I look forward to continuing our partnerships in the Commonwealth for decades to come.”
Project features include new bridges at Live Oak Drive, Old Dominion Drive, Georgetown Pike; rehabilitation work on other bridges; upgraded noise walls; stormwater management systems; environmental commitments along Scotts Run; four miles of bicycle/pedestrian infrastructure including sidewalks on bridges; a shared-use trail parallel to I-495 set for completion next year; a new parking lot at Scott’s Run Nature Preserve; as well as an interstate express bus service connecting Tysons with Bethesda via Fairfax Connector Route 798.
Some elements such as certain bridge work at Georgetown Pike or segments of pedestrian paths are still under construction with completion anticipated by mid-2026.
The $660 million project is funded through a public-private partnership between Virginia’s government agencies—including VDOT—and private partner Transurban who operates regional express lanes networks.
